Registering tobacco-booking block.



0. GIERSE.

REGISTERING TOBACCO BOOKING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 05022. 1914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50., WASHINGTON. D. c.

O. GIERSE.

REGISTERING TOBACCO BOOKING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.22, I914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' f anuewtoz THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON, n. c

OTTO GIERSE, OF DALLASTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

REGISTERING TOBACCO-BOOKING BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed December 22, 1914. Serial No. 878,585.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OTTO GIERSE, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Dallastown, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Registering Tobacco-Booking Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a registering tobacco booking block.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a block of this character wherein the same is materially simplified in its make-up by reason of minimizing the number of parts employed in the completed machine, thus constituting an improvement over the construction forming the subject matter of a co-pending application filed by me on or about the 6th day of January, 1914,

and bearing Serial No. 810,669.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a block of this character wherein the registering mechanism will be automatically reset to Zero point after the determined number of tobacco leaves have been placed in a bunch upon the block, thus enabling the operator to ascertain with accuracy the number of leaves in the respective bunches, the dials of the registering mechanism being visible through the top of the machine by the operator.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a block of this character which is simple in construction, strong, durable, reliable and efiicient in operation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as. will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the block constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same with the casing partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the block.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the block comprises a body 5, which is hollow and face 6, the said body being adapted to rest upon a table, counter or other suitable support, and the leaves of tobacco are positioned at their intermediate portions upon tie lntermediate portion of the upwardly curved surface 6 of the body and are then straightened or spread out along the end portions of the curved surface 6 for the stacking or bunching of the leaves. To accomplish this straightening and smoothing of the leaves the operator uses both hands.

Arranged interiorly of the body at 5 at equidistances apart are vertical partitions 7, dividing the said body into independent compartments 8, while journaled for rotation interiorly of the body and passed through the partitions 7 is a shaft 9 to which is fixed one of a series of counting wheels 10, 11 and 12, respectively, the peripheries of which are in alinement with slots 13 formed in the curved surface 6 of the body so that the graduations or numbers 1 1 at the peripheries of the said wheels are clearly visible to the user of the block, and these graduations or numbers cooperate with pointers or marks 15 on the curved surface 6 of the body next to the slots 13 therein, the wheels 10 and 11 being fixed to the respective sleeves 16 and 17 which are loose upon the shaft 9 while the wheel 12 is fast thereon so that the wheels will rotate independently of each other for the purposes presently described.

Next to one end wall of the body 5 and the partitions 7 therein are ratchet wheels 18 which are integral with the wheels 10, 11 and 12, and engageable with the teeth of each of these ratchet wheels 18 is a holding pawl 19 which is pivoted within the body .and has connected thereto a spring 20 to hold the same in positive working relation to the ratchet wheel so as to prevent the turning of the wheel in one direction. Mounted in each ratchet wheel 18 is one or more outstanding trip pins 21, and into the path of movement of which projects one end of a latch pawl 22 pivoted at 23 and adapted for locking engagement with a combined lever and signal at which is fulcrumed internally of the body and is adapted to work through a slot 25 formed in the upper curved surface 6 thereof, it being understood of course that one combined lever and signal 24 is provided for cooperation with each ratchet wheel. The pin 21 when tripping the latch pawl-22 causes, the release of the lever 24, and under the action of a spring 26 connected thereto and to the body 5 will cause the said lever 24 to rise through the slot 25 for signaling purposes hereinafter fully described. Normally the latch pawl 22 engages in a notch 27 formed in the lever 24 to limit the upward swinging movement thereof through the slot 25, yet the lever is free to be depressed for operating vthe ratchet wheel hereinafter set forth.

Mounted in one end wall of the body 5 and the respective partitions 7 are guide screws or pivots 28 which are passed through elongated curvilinear slots 29 formed in turning pawls 30 which are held in the downward path of movement of the levers 24 under the action of coiled tension springs 31 connected to the said pawls 30 and the fixed parts of the body 5, while the opposite or remaining ends of these pawls engage the teeth of the ratchet wheels 18 so that on depressing the levers 24 the pawls 30 will act upon the ratchet wheels to rotate the same, which in turn will rotate the dials 10, 11 and 12, respectively, the movement of the pawls 30 being limited by the extent of the slots 29 so that the ratchet wheels will rotate a predetermined distance and thereby move the said dials 10, 11 and 12 in a step by step manner on each depression of the respective levers 24. When the respective ratchet Wheels 18 have been rotated a predetermined distance the pins 21 engage the latch pawls 22 so as to free the levers 24 which, under the action of the springs 26 swing upwardly through the slots 25 to project above the upper curved surface 6 of the body 5, and thereby serve as a signal to indicate that a determined number of tobacco leaves have been stacked in independent bunches upon the block, and on inspecting the dials 10, 11 and 12 the exact number of leaves in each bunch can be accurately determined by the operator of the machine. It will be apparent that the block can be used for blocking leaves of different sizes, and the number of leaves in the different stacks. can be readily determined.

In the operation of the machine, the leaves of certain sizes may be booked upon one portion of the block, and leaves of other sizes may be booked on other portions of the block. The position of all the parts are now as follows: It is to be noted that the spring 22 secured to the dog 22 is stronger in its tensile force than the spring 26 secured to the signaling lever 24. When the signal lever 24 occupies the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 4, the spring is not under tension and the nose 27 of the lever 24 is below the dog 22 and the tension on the spring 22 has been relaxed. This will place the right arm of the dog 22 is in a position slightly higher than its full line position, shown .in Fig. .4, for the spring 22 is, so

much stronger than the spring 26 as to be contracted only slightly when the nose 27' of the lever 24 is snapped over the dog 22 to its full line position, shown in Fig. 4, against the tension of the spring 25, hence bearing against the right arm of the dog 22 as this nose 27 does, it forces the left arm of this dog against the stronger spring 22 slightly pressing it and making this spring act as a stop. As each leaf is spread over the block the lever 24 is manipulated by moving the hand along the said leaf and top surface of the block, which brings one end in contact with the said lever 24 contiguous to the leaf causing the said lever to become depressed against the further expansion and tension of the spring connected thereto, and in so doing the pawl 30 is moved to advance the ratchet wheel next thereto, and the said wheel is turned, and likewise the dial driven thereby. This operation is repeated on the placing of a determined number of leavm, one above the other, upon the block, and on the smoothing and straightening out of the leaves each time one is placed in position the registering mechanism will count the leaves so placed until the required number for the bunch has been reached, and the pin 21 has reached the position shown in Fig. 4 moving in clockwise direction, so that the next time the lever 24 is depressed the greater leverage exerted by it upon the pawl 30 will force the pin 21 to bear down upon the right arm of the dog 22, thereby putting the spring 22' under greater tension and moving its right arm as shown in dotted lmes, the nose 27 having already been swung out of the range of this right arm of the dog 22 in the act of depressing this lever 24 against the tension of the spring 26, whereupon this spring 26 relaxing leaves the lever 24 to its dotted line signaling position. In this way the latch pawls 22 release the levers 24, which automatically move through the slots 25 above the upper surface 6 of the block to serve as a signal for indieating that the required number of tobacco leaves have been bunched in the respective stacks, and on inspecting the counting wheels the operator can determine with accuracy the number of leaves of tobacco included in each book of leaves. After the pin 21 shall have passed beyond the dog 22 upon the further depression of the pawl 30 by the lever 24, it will be seen that the right arm of the pawl 22 will come back to its resting position so that the nose 27 is snapped over the dog 22, as already explained, against the tension of the spring 26 so as to rest upon the dog 22 making the spring 22' serve as a stop and holding the spring 26 against relaxation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawtion of the device will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

What is claimed is 1. A tobacco leaf booking block comprising a body having a curved upper surface, a lever fulcrumed within the body and having one end normally protruded through the upper surface of the body and adapted to be actuated at the time a leaf is spread upon the block, a tripping member pivotally supported within the body and engaging the said lever to hold the same in normal position, means for actuating the tripping memher to release the lever for the swinglng of the same into signaling position, and means acted upon by the lever to automatically operate the means for tripping the member.

2. In a device of the class described in combination a casing, having a slot, a ratchet wheel, a shaft upon which said wheel is mounted, a pin, a lever fulcrumed eccen- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the trically upon said pin and a spring secured to the shorter arm of said lever and holding its longer arm projected through the slot, a second pin, a dog fulcrumed upon said second pin at its center, a pin carried by said ratchet wheel adapted to trip the left arm of said dog, a nose formed upon said lever engaging the right arm of said dog, a spring secured to the left arm of said dog of greater strength than the first named spring and tensioned when said nose engages said dog to hold the first spring under tension and the lever in a lowered position, and means controlled by the longer arm of said lever adapted to move said ratchet Wheel clockwise.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature i presence of two witnesses.

OTTO GIERSE. Witnesses:

CHAS. O. CONWAY, CALVIN STUMP.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

